You are an animal, so says the leadership of the ELCA. This belief results from the rejection of the historical account of creation told in the Bible.Instead they believe in and teach the theory of evolution as truth.The February 2013 edition of the official magazine of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, The Lutheran, contains an article where we are told that:

“the scientific evidence for evolution inspires some Christians to celebrate God's ongoing and oft-surprising creativity, but it deeply offends others.”

“For centuries humans regarded themselves to be distinct and above other animals and the material world.But evolution indicates full embedded-ness in nature.Unless one hears and believes that God is faithfully with us in our created, embedded state, one could sense that we might be abandoned animals cruelly subject to capricious forces.”

“When we waste our belief on other things besides God, it is what the Bible called idolatry, and Jesus also called foolishness.Likewise, disbelief of some things that are not God can be foolish and even idolatrous, on par with misdirected belief. . .one's 'disbelief' of evolution can mask resistance to the humility inherent in being a created, finite animal.” (read here)

This was written by ELCA seminary professor Gilson A.C. Waldkoenig of Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg (Pa.) and published by the leadership of the denomination in their official magazine. So lets review what they are saying.We are animals.If you believe the Bible and not evolution, you are foolish, lacking in humility, and idolatrous.That seems backward (and evil) to me, and it should to anyone else whose eyes are not blinded by the enemy.

This is indeed a remarkable article, even for The Lutheran. The article is about science, yet neither of the authors is a scientist, not even close. One is a professor of Hispanic Ministry and the other, Church in Society.

The comment by Dick Neils at the end of the article does a good job of evaluating it.

I would only add that we must be careful to separate issues. There is no conflict between Science and Faith. Possibly the form of our bodies evolved, to some extent -- although no "missing link" has yet been found, but that is not really important. What is important is that the soul was created by God in His Own Image (Adam and Eve). The two issues are completely separate.

Also, this thought could be expanded to the issue of homosexuality and gay marriage. Homosexuals should have full civil rights in society, as all human beings, including the unborn, should have. Marriage is a completely separate issue. It is a religious belief and should be separate from civil rights. At least, this is my opinion.

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Chuck Braun

2/11/2013 04:41:51 am

In former days, I believed both in Darwinian evolution and salvation by grace through trust in Christ's shed Blood and Resurrection for my eternal salvation. I believed in a historical Adam and Eve. I believed they had been instilled with souls, and would have been sinless and immortal had they not succumbed to the Serpent's temptation.

In later years, I have heard works of secular humanists who deny macroevolution, and insist that external intelligence is required to produce higher forms of life. And according to Einstein, time is flexible. If creation could take 4.5 billion years by a natural process, why could God not use His supernatural Power to do it in 6 days?

If anyone is guilty of idolatry, it is those who believe in Darwin, eliminate God from the worldview, and put man as the greatest being in the cosmos! If evolution were true, why is mankind getting more and more evil as the centuries progress? Darwin says "survival of the fittest", my Jesus says "survival of the most unfit", namely salvation for sinners.

Darwinism, and its subsequent classification of the human being as mere animal, has led to abortion, eugenics, racism and genocide.
If I deny Darwin, he cannot harm me. If I deny Jesus, a woeful fate awaits me eternally. Choose this day whom you will serve. As for me any my house, we shall serve the Lord.

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Chuck Braun

2/14/2013 01:44:35 am

If the ELCA believe humans are mere animals, then we couldn't be considered fallen, therefore the concept of sin has become heresy in the ELCA. The Episcopals already call personal salvation a heresy, and they're BFF's with the ELCA.

Would God put Curious George on the Cross to save us from the sin of stealing our bananas? No, He put Himself on the Cross, in the human body of His Son Jesus Christ, not Rhesus Curious, to save us of our sins. To call those whom God has made in His image animals is the most utter of blasphemies, regardless of how one believes God created mankind, or how much time it took. Don't believe in the Fall? Just watch the news and it becomes self-evident.

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Kathy Suarez

2/14/2013 03:28:25 am

Excellent comment, Chuck. I totally agree.

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Eric Racine

4/2/2013 08:04:48 am

Bishop Hanson should be defrocked and run out of the church. He has allowed the travesty of practicing gay/lesbian pastors into the pulpit. He is now trying to help Islam to get another toe-hold. Does he even believe in ou r Lord Jesus teh Christ? I really doubt it based on his action against Christianity. Maybe Saul is back with us, and maybe he needs to struck blind and reclaimed by the Lord before he reverses everything Jesus died for.

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Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. ​1 Thessalonians 5:21

Dan Skogen

Former ELCA seminary student and former ELCA member who is fed up with the ELCA's consistent mockery of God's Word.

If you have been helped and blessed by Exposing the ELCA's ministry, please help us continue to proclaim the truth of God's Word to ELCA members who need to hear it.